[arin-ppml] SWIPs & IPv6

[James Hess]

On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 2:30 PM, Milton L Mueller <mueller at syr.edu> wrote:
> James:
> Nothing wrong with that. Again, the essential issue to me is: what is the purpose of the data collected? What data is required to fulfill that purpose? How can we limit the data collected to that which is required for that purpose?

There are many purposes for the data in the IP and AS number WHOIS registries.
There are obvious purposes that exist today, and there may be other
purposes for the data in the future.

It is  not clear that there is any benefit in trying to limit the data
collected.
Although, substantial disadvantages can be forseen,  such as not being
able to contact  the  user of a resource,  and  being forced to take
more drastic actions,  in response to abuse/issues,  if an error is
made in limiting data too much.

> We are, however, also now talking about the use of the organizational contact
>as an intermediary for law enforcement. Again, no inherent problem with that,
>but just an insistence that due process be followed. Indiscriminate, at-will
>downloading of any and all information about entities using Internet resources is
>not necessarily good.
> --MM

It's also not necessarily bad.   There is also, no  such thing as
official  "Internet Law enforcement";  it's not an "intermediary" for
law enforcement,  in many cases, WHOIS information may be about all
you've got.  Internet resources  extend past  national borders.

Law enforcement cannot be relied upon to solve  internet connectivity
issues, and cannot provide real-world contact information that might
be required to resolve some issues.

Law enforcement is no replacement for being able to  KNOW who your
neighbor is, and their neighbor is, etc, etc, in any case.  Internet
is not like the real world --  without a WHOIS database, you don't
know where your neighbor physically exists,   you can't just walk
across the street, and knock on their door  to ask them to turn down
the stereo.


You may need contact information for organizations utilizing IP
resources in Asia, to address abuses or connectivity issues, just as
much as you need a contact for an organization in the US.

If they leave their radio on too loud,  you can hear them just as
loudly from Asia, as from in the US,  and without   detailed   WHOIS
info,  you  have no way of asking them to turn it off.

So it's best that WHOIS collect contact info as specific and reliable
as possible, there is no room for  seeking to "limit information";
that's a bad thing.  At least  E-mail address,  Phone number, and
Physical address,  at bare minimum.

-- 
-J